Thanksgivinghttp://www.wisebread.com/taxonomy/term/10074/all
en-US15 Quick and Delicious Ways to Use Thanksgiving Leftovershttp://www.wisebread.com/15-quick-and-delicious-ways-to-use-thanksgiving-leftovers
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<p>After an enormous Thanksgiving feast, you may think you'll never be hungry again. But eventually, you will be.</p>
<p>So here are 15 quick and easy ways to turn your holiday leftovers into another couple of delicious meals.</p>
<h2>1. Sandwiches</h2>
<p>This Thanksgiving remake is popular for a reason &mdash; it's easy, fast, and delicious. A <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/article/15-best-ever-leftover-turkey-sandwiches">turkey sandwich</a> is always a good choice, and you can even pile on practically all of your leftovers to make a big post-holiday lunch. For a twist, fry up <a href="http://www.pauladeen.com/thanksgiving-monte-cristo">Monte Cristos</a> using extra turkey and cranberry sauce.</p>
<h2>2. Potato Pancakes</h2>
<p>Is your fridge full of leftover mashed potatoes? Not that anyone is complaining, but try making a <a href="http://www.justataste.com/2013/11/cheesy-leftover-mashed-potato-pancakes-recipe/">whole new dish</a> by adding scallions, egg, and a little cheese before pan frying as patties. Serve with sour cream or leftover gravy.</p>
<h2>3. Turkey Pot Pie</h2>
<p>Re-invent all of that extra turkey and chicken broth into delicious <a href="http://damndelicious.net/2013/11/22/leftover-thanksgiving-turkey-pot-pie/">pot pies</a>. They're easy to make and will fool everyone into thinking you slaved over a whole new meal.</p>
<h2>4. Stuffed Mushrooms</h2>
<p>Make a little too much stuffing? Transform it into this <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/stuffing-stuffed-mushrooms-recipe.html">easy and impressive appetizer</a> and you'll be happy that you did! Ideal for a party or small gathering.</p>
<h2>5. Cranberry Cocktail</h2>
<p>Use leftover cranberry sauce in a whole new way by mixing up <a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/mix/index.ssf/cocktails/post_5.html">some cocktails</a>. The sweetness and acidity add a fun element to a mixed drink and turn it a nice shade of pink.</p>
<h2>6. Sweet Potato Bread</h2>
<p>A great way to totally rework leftover sweet potatoes is by <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sweet-potato-bread-i/">making bread</a>. The lightly sweet and spiced bread is great for breakfast or a snack. If you're using already sweetened mashed sweet potatoes, be sure to decrease the sugar called for in the bread recipe.</p>
<h2>7. Turkey Salad</h2>
<p>Instead of making chicken salad, make <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Curried-Turkey-Salad-with-Cashews-103768">turkey salad</a>! It's quick and just as tasty, and makes a great light lunch in the days following your big meal. Pack it up with some bread or a salad and take it to work.</p>
<h2>8. Pie Shakes</h2>
<p>Leftover pie isn't usually a big problem, but if you're ready to move on to a different sweet treat, try turning your pie into <a href="http://stepable.com/recipes/299/bourbon-pecan-pie-milkshake">milkshakes</a>. You can have your pie and drink it, too!</p>
<h2>9. Baked Eggs in Stuffing Cups</h2>
<p>For a fun post-Thanksgiving brunch or lunch, try <a href="http://www.chow.com/recipes/30891-baked-eggs-in-stuffing-cups">these eggs</a> nestled on top of stuffing and baked. Eggy, bready goodness that's easy to make and pairs great with a side salad.</p>
<h2>10. Cranberry Muffins</h2>
<p>Put your extra cranberry sauce to good use and make <a href="http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/cranberry-sauce-muffins/676c8a8d-b500-4506-99ee-e93287d82d99">cranberry muffins</a>. They make a perfect breakfast treat for any guests that might be sticking around. Pack them in an airtight container and they can be frozen for later.</p>
<h2>11. Bubble and Squeak</h2>
<p>A British staple, <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/164622/bubble-and-squeak">bubble and squeak</a> is a tasty way to use leftover mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts. Add some bacon, serve with a salad, and you've got a brand new meal.</p>
<h2>12. Soup</h2>
<p>A great way to use excess turkey and veggies is to make a <a href="http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/next-day-turkey-soup.html">hearty soup</a>. Serve with crusty bread and this quick meal will feel brand new.</p>
<h2>13. Stuffing Waffles</h2>
<p>Try something new and give your leftover stuffing and gravy new life by turning them into unexpectedly delicious <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/11/stuffing-waffles-recipe.html">waffles</a>. These will be the talk of the dinner table for days!</p>
<h2>14. Sweet Potato Pancakes</h2>
<p>No one will be complaining about eating leftovers after you serve these yummy <a href="http://shewearsmanyhats.com/sweet-potato-pancake-recipe/">sweet potato pancakes</a>. Be sure to reduce the sugar if you are using already sweetened potatoes. These would taste great with leftover cranberry sauce.</p>
<h2>15. Shepherd's Pie</h2>
<p>Looking to serve up a lot of leftovers without repeating your holiday meal? Practically every Thanksgiving staple can be used in this <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/319449/thanksgiving-leftovers-shepherds-pie">shepherd's pie</a>.</p>
<p><em>How do you re-mix your Thanksgiving leftovers? Please share in comments!</em></p>
<br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/laurel-randolph">Laurel Randolph</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/15-quick-and-delicious-ways-to-use-thanksgiving-leftovers">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-1">
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</div> </div><br/></br>EntertainmentfeastsleftoversThanksgivingWed, 26 Nov 2014 17:00:06 +0000Laurel Randolph1260446 at http://www.wisebread.comHow to Host Thanksgiving in a Tiny Apartmenthttp://www.wisebread.com/how-to-host-thanksgiving-in-a-tiny-apartment
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<p>You've decided to accept the challenge of being the host with the most this Thanksgiving, but there's just one tiny problem &mdash; your smaller-than-small apartment. Time to panic? Nah. Before you cancel the fete, feast on these ways to work with what you've got &mdash; and still deliver an incredible dinner. (See also: <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/simple-recipes-for-a-frugal-vegetarian-thanksgiving?ref=seealso" style="text-decoration:none;">Simple Recipes for a Frugal Vegetarian Thanksgiving</a>)</p>
<h2>Clear the Clutter as Soon as You Decide to Host</h2>
<p>All right, hoarders, it's time to get busy; you've let that junk pile up long enough. Take this opportunity to clear out all your clutter so you can have a beautiful, <em>clean</em> apartment with plenty of space for your guests to sit back and relax on the holiday. Do this far enough in advance &mdash; and use your money-saving savvy to make a few bucks on items you don't want anymore &mdash; and you could possibly pay for the entire dinner with the cash you earned and have a few dollars to spare.</p>
<h2>Keep the Guest List Manageable Given Your Space Constraints</h2>
<p>You know how many people your home can handle, so don't overdo it. Only invite enough people for whom you have proper seats at a table or wherever you decide to eat. I live in a condo that has a breakfast bar that seats four, and I have a sturdy coffee table that guests can use to eat while sitting on the couch. That setup works for my friends and me, but it may not make everyone in your life comfortable. Let your guests know in advance how the dining situation will be arranged so they can make their own decision on whether or not they want to attend.</p>
<h2>Ensure That You Have Enough Diningware to Accommodate Everybody</h2>
<p>If you live in a small apartment, you probably have limited cabinet space &mdash; which means that you probably have limited diningware. Do a count once the guest list is set to ensure that you have all the plates, utensils, glasses, napkins, serving dishes, and so on that you'll need to host this dinner without a hitch. If you've come up short, you can either choose to buy more legit diningware, or you can opt to go plastic (the high-end stuff for this special occasion, of course), one of the only times I will recommend these otherwise money traps.</p>
<h2>Plan a Menu That's Appetizing But Not Overly Complicated</h2>
<p>If you like to cook like I do, you'll want to show off your kitchen skills by making fancy dishes to impress your guests at Thanksgiving. <em>Bad</em>. <em>Idea</em>.</p>
<p>I've gone this route before and I've spent hours upon hours standing in the kitchen preparing a meal that has a million-and-one ingredients that turns out amazing but that I'm usually too exhausted to enjoy by the time it's ready to serve. And chances are, your guests would have been just as happy with Stovetop as they are with your from-scratch apple-sausage-sage cornbread stuffing. Trust me.</p>
<p>What this also means in a small apartment is piles and piles of dishes claiming valuable dining real estate. Are you gonna wash all of them before serving dinner? I didn't think so. Thus, today is a day to enjoy your friends and celebrate the things for which you're thankful; embark on a mission of culinary excess and you'll curse the day you ever heard of Bobby Flay.</p>
<h2>Prepare What You Can Ahead of Time &mdash; Like Earlier in the Week</h2>
<p>Some dishes can be prepared ahead of time &mdash; like stuffings and mashed potatoes, for instance, and especially desserts &mdash; take advantage of the extra time to keep the dirty dishes to a minimum and enjoy more of your company when the big day arrives instead of slaving over a hot stove.</p>
<h2>Assign Certain Aspects of the Meal to Your Guests</h2>
<p>Another good way to save time, money, and space this Thanksgiving is to host a potluck Thanksgiving. If you plan to make the turkey, you can farm out the sides to a couple guests and ask others to bring bread, dessert, or a bottle of wine. A collaborative effort can definitely be fun, mind you, but it should be planned as the purpose of your Thanksgiving. What I mean by that is when you extend the initial invitation inform your guests that this will be a potluck meal. It's terrible form to spring this on somebody after the fact.</p>
<h2>Rearrange Furniture for Optimal and Maximum Seating Potential</h2>
<p>You should, without a doubt, have enough seating for your guests at dinner, but they'll also want to sit down in other areas around your apartment before and perhaps after the meal. In my apartment I arrange the four breakfast bar seats to face outward into the living room, I roll in my two office chairs, and put our metal coffee table against a wall, which creates a circle of seating that allows everyone to converse conveniently while also having a good view of the TV. This particular situation probably won't work for you, but with a little creativity you can create your own game plan to optimize your own relaxation station.</p>
<h2>Consider a Buffet Table to Free Up the Dining Table</h2>
<p>When I serve dinner for more than four in my apartment, I set up a buffet-style table in the foyer. This keeps the actual dining space clear of serving dishes so everyone can spread out and enjoy their meal with a little breathing room. This table has turned out to be a great investment as I've used it as a buffet table for multiple gatherings, but also to display items at a yard sale, an extra dining table in some cases, and a game-night table with the boys.</p>
<h2>Designate an Out-of-the-Way Space for Outerwear</h2>
<p>Where, oh where, will all those coats go? You don't want to put them on the furniture because that's taking up much-needed seating, and you really shouldn't put them on your bed for sanitary reasons (you can judge me for this, but I don't want people's clothes on the bedding I sleep on; it's just&hellip; eww).</p>
<p>If you have a coat rack or hooks around your apartment, utilize those as well as extra closet space if you have it. Another practical solution is to put the outerwear on hangers and place them on your shower curtain if it's a very sturdy one. Your guests will use the restroom while they're there, but nobody should be showering unless y'all are really tight like that. Save time by pulling the hangers in advance of your guests' arrival so you can take their coats and hang them efficiently. It goes without saying that you should clean your bathroom beforehand so your guests will be comfortable with their coats in there &mdash; and so they don't call the health department on you after they leave.</p>
<h2>Make Do and Have Fun</h2>
<p>Don't sweat the small stuff. Literally. Just don't do it. Make the best of what you have using these tips and other suggestions in the comments section and around the Internet and you're good to go. Thanksgiving is special, and it only comes once a year. Enjoy it, my friends. Enjoy it hard because the evil that is January is on its way.</p>
<p><em>Do you have other tips on how to host Thanksgiving in a tiny apartment? Let me know in the comments below.</em></p>
<br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/mikey-rox">Mikey Rox</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/how-to-host-thanksgiving-in-a-tiny-apartment">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-2">
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</div> </div><br/></br>Entertainmentdinner partiesentertainingpartiesThanksgivingFri, 21 Nov 2014 17:00:11 +0000Mikey Rox1257548 at http://www.wisebread.comPeople Who Love Thanksgiving Do These 8 Things, Do You?http://www.wisebread.com/people-who-love-thanksgiving-do-these-8-things-do-you
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<p>I'm not someone who tends to love Thanksgiving. The truth is, I find it so stressful that it's hard to figure out how to enjoy it in and around the food I have to cook, the decorations I have to put up and take down, and the seemingly constant stream of people. (See also: <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/year-end-holiday-celebrations-for-less?ref=seealso">Year-End Holiday Celebrations for Less</a>)</p>
<p>Still, I know there's more to this holiday than all of those things, so I've begun to look at my friends who love Thanksgiving to figure out how I can start loving this season, too. Here are a few of the things I've tried over the last several years, or will be trying this year.</p>
<h2>1. Practice Gratitude All Month Long</h2>
<p>It turns out that the point of Thanksgiving is gratitude, not football or shopping. The holiday started because people were grateful, and that's what we remember when we take the day off and eat all that food.</p>
<p>One of the best ways to remember the gratitude part of Thanksgiving is to start practicing it early. People who really love Thanksgiving often make gratitude a practice throughout the month of November. You can write down several things you're thankful for each day, or you can even post them somewhere like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to make your gratitude public.</p>
<h2>2. Decorate for the Holiday</h2>
<p>Because it comes so close to Christmas, a lot of people don't bother decorating for Thanksgiving. And it does seem like it would be kind of a pain to put up decorations for one holiday, only to take them down for another one.</p>
<p>However, people who love Thanksgiving often put decorations up anyway, to help them focus on the day and remember that it, too, is a celebration. You have a couple of choices, to make the whole process easier. You could just put out a few things, ones that catch your eye but aren't hard to put away when the day is over. Or, you could decorate for Thanksgiving at the beginning of November, so you get to enjoy the decor all month long.</p>
<h2>3. Plan the Meal Carefully</h2>
<p>Most people spend some time planning their Thanksgiving Dinner, but people who love the holiday tend to plan not only in order to make sure that all the pieces are there, but in order to minimize the work involved or spread it out over several people, families, and kitchens.</p>
<p>I know that part of the reason I haven't liked Thanksgiving in the past is that I end up spending <em>so much time</em> preparing food, and then cleaning up afterwards. I don't get to give thanks or watch football or anything, because I'm focused on the food. It makes sense, then, that planning a simpler meal or inviting more hands to become involved would lower that stress, making the holiday more enjoyable.</p>
<h2>4. Watch the Macy's Parade</h2>
<p>Okay, so I vaguely remember the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade from when I was a kid, but it has never been a major part of my holiday. However, a good friend of mine watches it every year, and she says it's part of why she loves Thanksgiving. So I tried it last year.</p>
<p>Now, I didn't watch the whole thing from start to finish, but I watched enough, and it did raise my spirits. There's something about the whimsy of the balloons, the upbeat music of the bands, and the creativity of the floats that starts the day off right.</p>
<h2>5. Don't Shop (So Others Can Enjoy the Day, Too!)</h2>
<p>I've read about people having to work on Thanksgiving every year for the last several. And, I'll be honest with you, it's nice to know that there will be a grocery store open, in case I've forgotten anything for the meal. But people who love Thanksgiving often avoid shopping on the holiday, because they enjoy the day so much that they want everyone to be able to spend it with family and friends, too.</p>
<h2>6. Know What to Do With Leftover Turkey</h2>
<p>It may sound silly, but one of the things that can make Thanksgiving stressful is knowing you will have leftovers and not knowing what to do with them. You can alleviate this by finding some recipes for your leftovers ahead of time, maybe even starting a family tradition to answer the &quot;What do I do with all this turkey?&quot; question.</p>
<p>People who love Thanksgiving don't stress about leftovers. They know you can make everything from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/5-creative-simple-frugal-recipes-for-leftover-turkey">Bar-B-Q sandwiches</a> to <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/10-tasty-ideas-for-leftover-turkey">fajitas</a> to <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/4-meals-you-can-make-with-thanksgiving-leftovers">yummy casseroles</a>.</p>
<h2>7. Help Others Have a Great Thanksgiving</h2>
<p>Many people who love Thanksgiving love it because they make it a point to help others, not just to relax and eat. This can mean serving Thanksgiving dinner to homeless people, or simply donating money to a local charity that takes Thanksgiving dinner to people who might not get one otherwise.</p>
<p>There's something about <a href="http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/12/22/how-giving-makes-us-happy/">giving that makes us happy</a>, especially when we connect it with a holiday. When we help others, we're also reminded of how much we have, which will make us more grateful, if we let it. And isn't that the whole point of the day?</p>
<h2>8. Don't Brave Black Friday</h2>
<p>Yes, there are amazing deals on Black Friday, even if you resist going to the stores on Thursday afternoon or evening. But when you are so focused on getting started on Christmas, it's easy to almost forget Thanksgiving entirely, to let it become an afterthought rather than an important holiday in and of itself.</p>
<p>People who love Thanksgiving often want to revel in it, and so they choose not to focus on shopping because it will distract them from a day that's important to them. If you're lucky enough to have Friday off, you can take it as an opportunity to let Thanksgiving sink in, rather than a chance to get a leg up on Christmas.</p>
<p><em>Do you love Thanksgiving? How do you show it? Please share in comments!</em></p>
<br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/sarah-winfrey">Sarah Winfrey</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/people-who-love-thanksgiving-do-these-8-things-do-you">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-3">
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</div> </div><br/></br>Entertainmentpeople who loveThanksgivingtraditionsWed, 19 Nov 2014 22:00:11 +0000Sarah Winfrey1257136 at http://www.wisebread.comSimple Recipes for a Frugal Vegetarian Thanksgivinghttp://www.wisebread.com/simple-recipes-for-a-frugal-vegetarian-thanksgiving
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<p>No turkey? No problem. I've been hosting meat-free Thanksgiving celebrations for the last decade. By the end of the evening, my friends and family are stuffed with amazingly nutritious and delicious foods from soup to nuts. (See also: <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/five-simple-ways-to-save-on-thanksgiving?ref=seealso">5 Simple Ways to Save on Thanksgiving</a>)</p>
<p>This year we're hoping to do it all on a tighter budget. So, here are some recipes that will help you rock a vegetarian/vegan Turkey Day without breaking the bank.</p>
<h2>Appetizers</h2>
<p>Don't skimp on appetizers. You'll want to offer up something tasty and hearty to your guests while you finish all the last-minute dinner preparations. I keep our appetizers simple. Some dips, veggies, and carbs.</p>
<h3>Fondue</h3>
<p>Fondue is a big favorite in my household, no matter the time of year. This <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/cheddar-and-hard-cider-fondue-recipe.html">Hard Cider and Cheddar Fondue</a> adds a nice twist for the holiday. Though the recipe calls for chicken broth, you can easily substitute in vegetable broth to suit your dietary needs. No hard cider in the house? Just use beer. And to add to the frugality, serve with your bakery's discount day-old bread &mdash; it soaks up the fondue better than fresh and costs less.</p>
<h3>Hummus</h3>
<p>Most dips you'll find on the table are vegetarian, but this smoky <a href="http://www.connoisseurusveg.com/2014/09/sweet-savory-smokey-butternut-hummus.html">Butternut Squash Hummus</a> is particularly festive. If you don't have butternut squash on hand, you can use acorn, delicata, or even canned pumpkin. Save some pennies (and salt content) by cooking your own chickpeas &mdash; you'll just need to soak them the night before.</p>
<h3>Veggie Tray</h3>
<p>For some visual pizazz, gather a medley of fresh produce, olives, and other foods to make this <a href="http://www.livinglocurto.com/2012/10/turkey-vegetable-tray">Turkey Vegetable Tray</a>. It's much less expensive to buy, cut, and arrange the veggies yourself than it is to buy a pre-made tray at the store. Plus, you're giving vegetarians the symbolic turkey on Thanksgiving!</p>
<h2>Side Dishes</h2>
<p>My favorite part of dinner is making a variety of side dishes that span the spectrum of flavors. You can't go wrong with using fresh ingredients that you buy at your local farmers market. Usually these seasonal ingredients are cheaper than what you'd buy at the store since they don't travel as far from the farm to your table.</p>
<h3>Dinner Rolls</h3>
<p>We had a Thanksgiving brunch last year in place of dinner. I made these incredible <a href="http://www.neverhomemaker.com/2013/11/brie-stuffed-pumpkin-garlic-rolls.html">Pumpkin Garlic Rolls</a> stuffed with brie and served with jam. I buy brie at Aldi, where it's incredibly inexpensive, and it does the trick in a dish like this one. If anything, do a more refined jam &mdash; I like red pepper for a sweet and savory mix.</p>
<h3>Roasted Veggies</h3>
<p>Next, serve a simple side of roasted veggies. Any kind will do. We've had great success roasting asparagus, squash, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and all other vegetables with nothing more than olive oil, salt, and pepper. For a fun twist, try making these <a href="http://www.purevege.com/2012/02/poor-mans-feast.html">Brussels Sprout Kebabs</a>. Just roast the veggie, season, and then arrange on skewers.</p>
<h3>Stuffing</h3>
<p>Mushrooms are the key to any amazing vegetarian stuffing recipe. They give the dish an earthy flavor and marry well with sage, thyme, and other herbs. This <a href="http://bakeaholicmama.ziplist.com/recipes/vegan-stuffing/4cad6480-14b3-0130-9b0a-12313812a22c">Portabella Vegan Stuffing</a> is simple yet flavorful. If you'd rather not buy stuffing cubes, just cut cubes of any loaf, bake until dry &mdash; but not brown &mdash; and then use in your recipe.</p>
<h3>Gravy</h3>
<p>You can easily make most mashed potato recipes vegetarian or vegan by replacing chicken broth with vegetable and milk or cream with non-dairy substitutes. The gravy, however, can be more problematic. This <a href="http://ohmyveggies.com/recipe-wild-mushroom-gravy/">Wild Mushroom Gravy</a> recipe takes on the same sort of flavors as your stuffing recipe, just in a new way. To make it vegan, use Earth Balance instead of butter.</p>
<h2>Main Course</h2>
<p>Admittedly, we tend to graze on all sorts of dishes without a hugely defined main course. But for more traditional vegetarians, I have some suggestions that are packed with protein and definitely worthy to place in the center of your table.</p>
<h3>&quot;Meat&quot; Loaf</h3>
<p>This vegetarian <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/winter-recipe-classic-vegetarian-nut-loaf-102222">Nut Loaf</a> has become a favorite comfort food in our house. Its components are humble and &mdash; for the most part &mdash; inexpensive. If the ingredients list is a bit too long for you, there's a simplified <a href="http://theveganstoner.blogspot.com/2011/11/blog-post.html">Lentil Loaf</a> that we make on weeknights that makes something amazing from frozen vegetables, cooked lentils, crackers, walnuts, and a few other things. It's also cheaper and faster to put together.</p>
<h3>Quiche</h3>
<p>Eggs make a solid protein for the Thanksgiving table. The key is transforming them from your breakfast favorite to something more refined. A few years ago, we made this <a href="http://www.neverhomemaker.com/2009/11/mushroom-asparagus-quiche.html">Asparagus Quiche</a>. If you'd rather go crustless, try this <a href="http://www.neverhomemaker.com/2014/11/mushroom-baby-kale-frittata.html">Mushroom and Kale Frittata</a> recipe that takes just 30 minutes from start to finish. With either of these recipes, you can double so your finished dish will serve more than 2-4 people.</p>
<h3>Pasta</h3>
<p>I love stuffed shells for special occasions. You can get particularly creative with them, too. For example, this <a href="http://lecremedelacrumb.com/2014/10/broccoli-alfredo-stuffed-shells.html">Broccoli Alfredo Stuffed Shells</a> recipe goes beyond the usual red sauce and takes just 30 minutes to make. Don't forget to cook your pasta al dente before baking, so it isn't mushy when served. You can add tofu ricotta to this recipe (about 1 heaping tablespoon per shell) for extra protein by pressing a tofu cube until it drains, crumbling with your hands, and seasoning with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and lemon juice.</p>
<h2>Dessert</h2>
<p>Most desserts are inherently vegetarian, so this category isn't so specific. It also happens to be my favorite, so I couldn't resist sharing a few Thanksgiving sweet dishes with you &mdash; and they're all vegan!</p>
<h3>Pumpkin Pie(s)</h3>
<p>I make these individual <a href="http://www.neverhomemaker.com/2010/11/chocolate-pumpkin-pie.html">Chocolate Pumpkin Pies</a> every year for the holiday. Peanut butter and chocolate take the dessert to another level &mdash; and if you have a peanut allergy, almond butter works just as well. Don't trust yourself to microwave the chocolate? Melt it using a double-boiler on the stove.</p>
<h3>Butternut Crisp</h3>
<p>This <a href="http://www.edibleperspective.com/home/2014/9/22/butternut-squash-apple-pear-crisp.html">twist on apple crisp</a> will get your guests talking. Prepare butternut squash, apple, and pears for baking by tossing them in a mixture of brown sugar, lemon juice, oat flour, and spices. Then top with an oatmeal crumble. If you don't have oat flour, it's easy to make at home by pulsing uncooked rolled oats in a food processor. Bonus savings if you have squash leftover from any of the other recipes you've made for your meal.</p>
<h3>Pecan Pie</h3>
<p>Talk about wonderful flavors here, this <a href="http://dessertswithbenefits.com/vegan-maple-pecan-pie/">Maple Pecan Pie</a> recipe will please your vegan and carnivore guests all at the same time &mdash; and it contains silken tofu (they'll never know, I promise!). If you're looking to cut costs, use all-purpose flour versus brown rice and vanilla extract versus vanilla paste, but don't skimp on the real maple syrup.</p>
<p><em>What are you making for Thanksgiving this year? Please share a bite in comments!</em></p>
<br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/ashley-marcin">Ashley Marcin</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/simple-recipes-for-a-frugal-vegetarian-thanksgiving">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-4">
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</div> </div><br/></br>Entertainmentcheap eatsfrugal foodrecipesThanksgivingveganvegetarianMon, 17 Nov 2014 10:00:16 +0000Ashley Marcin1255030 at http://www.wisebread.comWise Bread Reloaded: Right Now Is the Time to Get Ready for Thanksgivinghttp://www.wisebread.com/wise-bread-reloaded-right-now-is-the-time-to-get-ready-for-thanksgiving
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<p>As of right now, Thanksgiving is just under two weeks away, and that seems like kind of a long way off. Two whole weekends and a some weekdays. Plenty of time, right?</p>
<p>Next week you'll be busy with work and the kids and school and walking the dog and everything else and suddenly it'll be the weekend before Thanksgiving and you absolutely have to get your preparation done then, no excuses &mdash; at least the shopping &mdash; and guess what? Everyone else in your neighborhood is up against the same time crunch. The mart is a zoo and the parking is worse.</p>
<p>Skip all that this year. After you finish reading this, close up your browser, get out your to-do list, and start getting ready for Thanksgiving. Do your shopping at the earliest opportunity, and then settle back and relax for a few days before you start on the make-aheads. Trust us. It'll be the easiest Thanksgiving ever.</p>
<p>Before you go, here are some ideas from Wise Bread's archives to inspire you.</p>
<h2>Right, Make Some Make-Aheads</h2>
<p><img width="605" height="340" src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/u5123/thanksgiving_cooking.jpg" alt="" /></p>
<p>When it is time to make your make-aheads, what should you make? Try the classic <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/make-ahead-thanksgiving-dishes?ref=classicwb">Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Dishes</a> Elizabeth Lang shares with you. She also tells us what <em>not</em> to make ahead &mdash; like the turkey. Who wants leftover turkey on the Thanksgiving Day table?</p>
<h2>Oops. Now What?</h2>
<p><img width="605" height="340" src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/u5123/4139402140_57ee8e15d5_z.jpg" alt="" /></p>
<p>Something's bound to go wrong during the flurry of pre-feast kitchen mayhem. Don't toss those mistakes! Rely on Meg Favreau's <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/five-last-minute-thanksgiving-fixes?ref=classicwb">5 Last-Minute Thanksgiving Fixes</a> to steer you out of a jam.</p>
<h2>When Three's a Crowd</h2>
<p><img width="605" height="340" src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/u5123/couple_picnic.jpg" alt="" /></p>
<p>Not everyone can (or wants) to celebrate with a big crowd of family and friends. Blogger Little House shares the secret joys of a <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/turkey-dinner-for-two?ref=classicwb">Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner For Two</a>.</p>
<h2>What to Do With the Leftovers</h2>
<p><img width="605" height="340" src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/u5123/5367365131_45bb29b8d4_z.jpg" alt="" /></p>
<p>Unfortunately, you won't be able to send everything home with your guests. And maybe you won't want to send anything home after you read the recipes Thursday Bram shares in her <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/4-meals-you-can-make-with-thanksgiving-leftovers?ref=classicwb">4 Meals You Can Make From Thanksgiving Leftovers</a>.</p>
<p>If that's not enough, consider Sarah Winfrey's <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/10-tasty-ideas-for-leftover-turkey?ref=classicwb">10 Tasty Ideas for Leftover Turkey</a>. Hmmm, chili.</p>
<h2>Finish Christmas Prep Now, Too?</h2>
<p><img width="605" height="340" src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/u5123/605x340xholiday_mall_crowd.jpg" alt="" /></p>
<p>You do if you're anything like Kentin Waits, who gets his <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/early-holiday-shopping-why-i-finish-by-thanksgiving?ref=classicwb">gift shopping done by Thanksgiving</a>. Now that's a relaxing holiday schedule.</p>
<p><em>When will you be ready for Thanksgiving? What are your plans? Please share in comments!</em></p>
<br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/lars-peterson">Lars Peterson</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/wise-bread-reloaded-right-now-is-the-time-to-get-ready-for-thanksgiving">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-5">
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</div> </div><br/></br>Entertainmentcelebrationsholiday mealsHolidaysThanksgivingSat, 15 Nov 2014 12:00:14 +0000Lars Peterson1255632 at http://www.wisebread.com5 Thanksgiving Traditions You Should Skiphttp://www.wisebread.com/5-thanksgiving-traditions-you-should-skip
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<p>Thanksgiving can be a <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/best-money-tips-ways-to-make-thanksgiving-fun">really fun holiday</a> &mdash; If nothing gets burned in the oven, or your uncle doesn't get too drunk, or your mom doesn't put you on her charades team... Why add more stress to an already jam-packed day? (See also: <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/kick-ass-alternatives-to-canned-cranberry-sauce?ref=seealso">Kick-Ass Alternatives to Canned Cranberry</a>)</p>
<p>Here are five Thanksgiving traditions you can skip.</p>
<h2>1. Cancel the Black Friday Campout</h2>
<p>Black Friday is a huge deal. Everyone wants to get the best price for their holiday gifts, but why at the expense of having a nice Thanksgiving? The deals are amazing, but the crowds are terrifying. Don't put yourself in danger to save a few bucks.</p>
<p>This year, <a href="http://dealnews.com/features/How-Deals-Will-Differ-on-Thanksgiving-vs.-Black-Friday-vs.-Cyber-Monday/879878.html">Cyber Monday may actually be better</a> for cameras, toys, travel, shoes, clothing, and beauty products. So wait it out. On Cyber Monday, you don't have to leave the house and risk getting trampled by throngs of door buster zombies.</p>
<h2>2. Forget the Turkey</h2>
<p>Let's walk through this: You have to go from store to store just to find the right turkey. Then, you have to make room in your fridge to store the turkey. Later you have defrost the turkey. Then, you must brine the turkey and later season and dress the turkey. Then roast it for hours and hours. Plus, it's impossible to get the right temperature in all parts of the bird at the same time. To get the legs fully cooked, you must overbake and dry out the breast. The constant basting is a hassle.</p>
<p>Is it worth your time every single year? There are <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/ultimate-thanksgiving/thanksgiving-alternatives-to-turkey">so many substitutes</a>. Try a beef roast, a fish tagine, or several small chickens instead of one big turkey. Every couple years or so, my family makes a brisket just to change things up and it is always fantastic.</p>
<h2>3. Skip the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade</h2>
<p>Unless you are a diehard Al Roker fan, there's not much to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Every year it is the same: the balloons, the marching bands, the lame celebrity spots, the weirdly choreographed music segments. If you're busy cooking it makes for adequate background noise and something for the kids to watch, but you're better off focusing on the oven.</p>
<h2>4. Ban the Kids' Table</h2>
<p>Let's face it: Conversations with adults can be extremely boring, taxing, or tense. Add family to the mix and it is all of the above. The kids get a great deal being placed at a separate table, because they actually have fun.</p>
<p>Bring some light, jovial energy to your thanksgiving and make the <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/columns/the-foodist/article/why-a-kids-table-is-a-bad-idea?mbid=entstyl_20131123_14868764">kids and adults sit together</a>. Swap the kids and parents around so everyone sits near a niece or nephew. When your six year old nephew who wants to be an astronaut tells you all about the constellations he's learned, you'll realize what you've been missing.</p>
<h2>5. Don't Flock to the Movie Theater</h2>
<p>Every year, families rush out to the multiplex to see the latest family blockbuster. It's an ordeal to get everyone piled in the car, to park, to get the tickets, and an even bigger ordeal to agree on a film! Plus, the Thanksgiving movie tradition has gotten crazy expensive: the average ticket in major cities is $14. Multiply that by four or more family members, and you have an expensive end to an already pricey family meal.</p>
<p>Why not relax at home for a lower-stress evening? Streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Instant, and Hulu Plus all offer lots of content for a low monthly fee you're already paying, and your cable provider's video on demand service features new releases for a few bucks. Or, try relaxing at home with a <a href="http://movies.amctv.com/movie-guide/top-ten-thanksgiving-movies/">classic holiday movie</a>. Of course, if your kids threaten to stage a mutiny if they don't see <em>The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Pt.1</em>, then you're out of luck.</p>
<p><em>Do you have any non-traditional Thanksgiving traditions? Tell us about them in comments!</em></p>
<br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/amanda-meadows">Amanda Meadows</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/5-thanksgiving-traditions-you-should-skip">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-6">
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</div> </div><br/></br>EntertainmentHolidayspartiesThanksgivingtraditionsturkeyFri, 14 Nov 2014 18:00:05 +0000Amanda Meadows1254111 at http://www.wisebread.comAsk the Readers: What Is Your Favorite Thanksgiving Tradition?http://www.wisebread.com/ask-the-readers-what-is-your-favorite-thanksgiving-tradition
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<p><em>Editor's Note: Congratulations to <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/ask-the-readers-what-is-your-favorite-thanksgiving-tradition#comment-723076">Holly Ann</a>, Ria, and Therese for winning this week's contest!</em></p>
<p>Thanksgiving is all about food, fun, and family! Many of us have Thanksgiving staples that we enjoy every year, be it Nana&#39;s mouth-watering cranberry sauce, outdoor games with the cousins, or dinner parties with friends.</p>
<p><strong>What is your favorite Thanksgiving tradition?</strong> What new traditions would you like to establish? If you don&#39;t celebrate Thanksgiving, how will you be spending November 28th this year?</p>
<p>Tell us about your favorite Thanksgiving tradition&nbsp;and we&#39;ll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!</p>
<h2>Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards</h2>
<p>We&#39;re doing three giveaways &mdash; here&#39;s how you can win!</p>
<h3>Mandatory Entry:</h3>
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Tell us about your favorite Thanksgiving tradition and we&#039;ll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card! </div>
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<br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/ashley-jacobs">Ashley Jacobs</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/ask-the-readers-what-is-your-favorite-thanksgiving-tradition">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-7">
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</div> </div><br/></br>GiveawaysAsk the ReadersThanksgivingTue, 19 Nov 2013 11:36:06 +0000Ashley Jacobs1098584 at http://www.wisebread.comBest Money Tips: Tips to Save on Thanksgiving Airfarehttp://www.wisebread.com/best-money-tips-tips-to-save-on-thanksgiving-airfare
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<p>Welcome to Wise Bread's <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/topic/best-money-tips">Best Money Tips</a> Roundup! Today we found some stellar articles on saving on Thanksgiving airfare, what to do if you win the lottery, and apps to help guide your retirement savings.</p>
<h2>Top 5 Articles</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/How-Save-Thanksgiving-Flights-25419068">8 Expert Tips to Save on Thanksgiving Airfare</a> &mdash; If you can fly on Thanksgiving Day, doing so could save you money. [PopSugar Smart Living]</p>
<p><a href="http://www.moneylifeandmore.com/the-winning-ticket-8-things-to-do-if-you-win-the-lottery-5164/">The Winning Ticket: 8 Things to Do If You Win the Lottery</a> &mdash; If you won the lottery, it would be a good idea to use your winnings to pay off your debts first. [Money Life and More]</p>
<p><a href="http://www.lazymanandmoney.com/five-apps-to-help-guide-your-retirement-savings/">Five Apps to Help Guide Your Retirement Savings</a> &mdash; Stan and Retire Logix are just a couple apps that can help you guide your retirement savings. [Lazy Man and Money]</p>
<p><a href="http://manvsdebt.com/3-ways-to-lose-war-on-debt/">3 Surefire Ways to Lose Your War Against Debt</a> &mdash; You will undoubtedly lose your battle against debt if you underestimate the power of your enemy, or yourself. [Man vs. Debt]</p>
<p><a href="http://www.dinksfinance.com/2013/10/learning-about-money-later-in-life/">Learning about money later in life</a> &mdash; When it comes to money and finances, remember to try to put your emotions aside. [DINKS Finance]</p>
<h2>Other Essential Reading</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/post-vacation-blues/">A Post about Post Vacation Blues - How to Quickly Get Back into Work Mode</a> &mdash; Leaving yourself something exciting to do (but make sure it's not too daunting) once you get back from your vacation to beat your post vacation blues. [Smart Passive Income]</p>
<p><a href="http://squirrelers.com/2013/10/03/3-ways-to-go-green-and-save-on-transportation/">3 Ways to Go Green and Save on Transportation</a> &mdash; Carpooling is a great way to go green while saving money on transportation. [Squirrelers]</p>
<p><a href="http://www.youngcheapliving.com/2013/09/26/its-all-in-the-habits-how-i-live-cheap-and-create-my-own-freedom/">It's All In the Habits: How I Live Cheap and Create My Own Freedom</a> &mdash; You can live cheaply and create your own freedom by making your own meals and being resourceful. [Young Cheap Living]</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sooverthis.com/3-tips-for-saving-money-on-your-internet/">3 Tips for Saving Money on Your Internet</a> &mdash; To save money on your internet, buy your own modem and router. [So Over This]</p>
<p><a href="http://parentingsquad.com/12-tips-for-successful-parent-teacher-conferences">12 Tips for Successful Parent-Teacher Conferences</a> &mdash; Arriving early and being prepared can help you have a successful parent-teacher conference. [Parenting Squad]</p>
<br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/ashley-jacobs">Ashley Jacobs</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/best-money-tips-tips-to-save-on-thanksgiving-airfare">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-8">
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<span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/10-ways-to-get-free-or-almost-free-airline-tickets">10 Ways to Get Free (or Almost Free) Airline Tickets</a></span>
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<span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/20-secrets-of-last-minute-travel">20 Secrets of Last-Minute Travel</a></span>
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<span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/14-things-you-forget-to-do-before-leaving-for-vacation">14 Things You Forget to Do Before Leaving for Vacation</a></span>
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<span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/make-your-escape-with-these-14-affordable-weekend-getaways">Make Your Escape With These 14 Affordable Weekend Getaways</a></span>
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<span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/23-tips-for-traveling-with-pets">23 Tips for Traveling With Pets</a></span>
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</div> </div><br/></br>TravelAirfarebest money tipsholidayThanksgivingtravelFri, 04 Oct 2013 10:00:03 +0000Ashley Jacobs994587 at http://www.wisebread.com10 Delicious Ways to Use Leftover Mashed Potatoeshttp://www.wisebread.com/10-delicious-ways-to-use-leftover-mashed-potatoes
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<p>Mashed potatoes are a holiday staple that are awesome in their original form, but what if you end up with tons of leftovers and get tired of the same old mash? Here are 10 delicious, and mostly easy to prepare ways to repurpose your leftover mashed potatoes. (See also: <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/10-tasty-ideas-for-leftover-turkey">10 Tasty Ideas for Leftover Turkey</a>)</p>
<h2>1. Mashed Potato Bar</h2>
<p>If you have a pot of plain mashed potatoes (that is, cooked with minimal adornment), you can fancy things up by treating your mashies like a baked potato and covering them in all kinds of goodness. Think chopped scallions, all kinds of cheese, smoked salmon, bacon bits, sour cream, spicy pepper jelly, or freshly chopped herbs. You can also add cooked beets (or yams or sweet potatoes) and remash for a <a href="http://www.coconutandlime.com/2008/02/beet-mashed-potatoes.html">sweeter take on mashed potatoes</a>.</p>
<h2>2. Pseudo Latkes</h2>
<p>Latkes, traditional Hanukkah fare, are pancakes made from potatoes. OK, the traditional recipe does call for shredded potatoes, but you can fudge it a little bit with this <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2007/11/20/transform-your-mashed-potatoes-into-pancakes/" target="_blank">mashed potato latke recipe</a> from Slashfood. If you want something even more exotic, try out this recipe for <a href="http://www.kfoodaddict.com/korean-potato-pancake-gamja-jeon/">Korean potato pancakes</a>.</p>
<h2>3. Potato Croquettes/Muffins</h2>
<p>If you have the capacity and the will to deep-fry your food, consider the wonderful, creamy goodness of a <a href="http://damndelicious.tumblr.com/post/17170109080/fried-garlic-cheddar-mashed-potato-balls" target="_blank">mashed potato croquette</a> (doesn&rsquo;t that sound better than &ldquo;mashed potato ball&rdquo;? I think it does). The good news is that you are already a couple steps into this recipe, since your potatoes are already mashed.</p>
<p>If you're more into baking than frying, you can still enjoy a decadent, crispy-edged mashed potato treat with this recipe for <a href="http://themuffinmom.com/2009/02/27/loaded-baked-potato-muffins/">loaded baked potato muffins</a>.</p>
<h2>4. Shepherd's Pie/Casserole</h2>
<p>A classic casserole that&rsquo;s easy to make and popular with everyone, <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/319350/cheddar-topped-shepherds-pie">shepherd&rsquo;s pie</a> is that much easier when you already have a supply of mashed potatoes at the ready. If you&rsquo;re not a meat eater, you can try a <a href="http://www.chooseveg.com/display_recipe.asp?recipe=212">vegan version of shepherd&rsquo;s pie</a>.</p>
<h2>5. Potato Lasagna</h2>
<p>Mashed potatoes can be awesomely creamy and replace dairy products fairly easily (whether you&rsquo;re lactose intolerant, vegan, or just feeling adventurous). Try out a <a href="http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/ultimate-vegan-lasagna/">vegan lasagna recipe</a> (or meat lasagna) with mashed potatoes in place of the tofu or ricotta cheese. Add crushed, roasted garlic to the potatoes to really pack a wallop of flavor.</p>
<h2>6. Potato Bread</h2>
<p>I'm not sure what it is exactly about potatoes that make for such <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/a-beginners-guide-to-homemade-bread">delicious, fluffy bread</a>, but if you can bake, you can turn your mashed potatoes into a brilliant loaf. This <a href="http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/polishbreads/r/potatobread.htm">potato bread recipe</a> is pegged as Eastern European, but you&rsquo;ll love it regardless of where your palate hails from.</p>
<h2>7. Potato Cheddar Soup</h2>
<p>Mashed potatoes are a fantastic soup thickener &mdash; if you&rsquo;re like my mom and use your Thanksgiving turkey in soup, you can make it a real stew by throwing in a big spoonful of mashed potatoes.</p>
<p>If you want a real potato-centered soup, mashed potatoes are the main ingredient in <a href="http://www.kayotic.nl/blog/hearty-potato-soup">potato cheddar soup</a>, a decadent staple of winter eating. Like a couple of the other recipes here, you&rsquo;ll find that you&rsquo;ll save a couple of steps, since your potatoes are already mashed.</p>
<h2>8. Mashed Potato Moussaka</h2>
<p>Moussaka is a traditional Greek <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/one-recipe-lots-of-food-10-great-main-dish-casseroles">casserole</a> made with eggplant; it&rsquo;s very filling and a great dish for winter or fall. Potatoes are often added for texture, and this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/26/dining/shortcut-moussaka-recipe.html">moussaka recipe</a> includes mashed potatoes. Since you have the mashed potatoes ready to go, you get to save significant time!</p>
<h2>9. Potato Perogi</h2>
<p>Perogi are a Slavic dumpling &mdash; different from gnocchi in that they are a distinct filling encased in a wrapper. These <a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_2062467_make-potato-pierogi.html">mashed potato-filled dumplings</a> allow you to be especially creative with additional fillings, like chives, bacon, fish, or spices. Top with butter, sour cream, or spicy garlic salsa.</p>
<h2>10. Gnocchi</h2>
<p>Gnocchi is probably the most obvious use of leftover mashed potatoes, but they are just so amazing that I had to save them for last (since they&rsquo;re the best). This recipe for <a href="http://www.foodwhine.com/2010/12/leftover-mashed-potato-gnocchi.html">mashed potato gnocchi</a> is fast and easy, and it makes the perfect meal for a cool evening.</p>
<br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/andrea-karim">Andrea Karim</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/10-delicious-ways-to-use-leftover-mashed-potatoes">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-9">
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<span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/end-potato-prejudice-10-reasons-why-you-should-eat-potatoes">End Potato Prejudice: 10 Reasons Why You Should Eat Potatoes</a></span>
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<span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/thursday-night-soup-delicious-soup-from-leftovers">Thursday Night Soup: Delicious Soup From Leftovers</a></span>
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</div> </div><br/></br>Food and DrinkleftoverspotatoThanksgivingThu, 22 Nov 2012 11:36:30 +0000Andrea Karim955225 at http://www.wisebread.comBest Money Tips: Tips to Save on Thanksgiving Dinnerhttp://www.wisebread.com/best-money-tips-tips-to-save-on-thanksgiving-dinner
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<p>Welcome to Wise Bread's <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/topic/best-money-tips">Best Money Tips</a> Roundup! Today we found some stellar articles on tips to save on Thanksgiving dinner, part-time jobs that pay well, and making extra cash for the holidays.</p>
<h2>Top 5 Articles</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.moneytalksnews.com/2012/11/16/10-tips-to-save-on-thanksgiving-dinner/">10 Tips to Save on Thanksgiving Dinner</a> &mdash; To save money on Thanksgiving dinner, balance your side dishes and desserts. [Money Talks News]</p>
<p><a href="http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/5-parttime-jobs-pay-surprisingly.html">5 Part-Time Jobs that Pay Surprisingly Well</a> &mdash; Massage therapists can make almost $35,000 a year. [Bargaineering]</p>
<p><a href="http://www.creditsesame.com/blog/the-holidays-are-here-in-need-of-a-little-extra-cash/">The Holidays Are Here! In Need of a Little Extra Cash?</a> &mdash; If you need some extra cash for the holidays, consider being a secret shopper. [Credit Sesame]</p>
<p><a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/08/16/how-to-set-financial-goals.aspx">5 Simple Steps to Reaching Your Financial Goals</a> &mdash; Distinguishing between your primary and secondary goals can make it easier for you to achieve your financial goals overall. [The Motley Fool]</p>
<p><a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/How-Politely-Decline-Holiday-Party-Invite-25911654">5 Tips for Politely Declining a Holiday Party Invite</a> &mdash; If you are invited to a holiday party in person and need some time to think it over, tell whoever invited you that you need some time to check your calendar. [SavvySugar]</p>
<h2>Other Essential Reading</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.mainstreet.com/article/career/employment/how-middle-aged-job-seekers-can-make-their-case">How Middle-Aged Job-Seekers Can Make Their Case</a> &mdash; Middle-aged job-seekers can make their case with employers by doing their &quot;thank you&quot; note via email. [MainStreet]</p>
<p><a href="http://www.freemoneyfinance.com/2012/11/real-estate-101-managing-the-property.html">Real Estate 101: Managing The Property</a> &mdash; When managing a property, if a tenant is late with payment, get in touch with him or her immediately. [Free Money Finance]</p>
<p><a href="http://money.msn.com/frugal-living/post.aspx?post=3eea95a3-45ad-4d78-858b-b5a6d02bc864&amp;ref=bfv">Fight Seasonal Stress With a 'Holidate'</a> &mdash; Don't let the holidays stress you out too much. Take time to relax with your significant other and forget about everything you need to get done! [MSN Money]</p>
<p><a href="http://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/best-values-in-private-colleges-under-20K/1.html">10 Best Values in Private Colleges Under 20k</a> &mdash; Pepperdine University and Stanford University are among the best values in private colleges. [Kiplinger]</p>
<p><a href="http://parentingsquad.com/prosquad-writing-readiness-and-is-it-too-late-to-create-a-bedtime-routine">ProSquad: Writing Readiness, and Is It Too Late to Create a Bedtime Routine?</a> &mdash; Before your child starts writing, teach him or her to recognize the letters in his or her name. [Parenting Squad]</p>
<br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/ashley-jacobs">Ashley Jacobs</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/best-money-tips-tips-to-save-on-thanksgiving-dinner">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-10">
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<span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/10-delicious-ways-to-use-leftover-mashed-potatoes">10 Delicious Ways to Use Leftover Mashed Potatoes</a></span>
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</div> </div><br/></br>Food and Drinkbest money tipsdinnerThanksgivingMon, 19 Nov 2012 10:36:49 +0000Ashley Jacobs955895 at http://www.wisebread.comEven More Black Friday Savings Tips From Shopping Expertshttp://www.wisebread.com/even-more-black-friday-savings-tips-from-shopping-experts
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<p>Black Friday is widely regarded as the unofficial start to the holiday buying period, and for good reason &mdash; most retailers offer deep discounts the day after Thanksgiving to jump-start sales in anticipation of Christmas and Hanukkah. You can browse the Internet endlessly trying to find the best tips and tricks to help you make the most of Black Friday (and Cyber Monday), but that would seriously cut into your turkey and family time. To save you a headache, I&rsquo;ve reached out to financial and frugal-living experts to compile this comprehensive list of their best advice. When the pie is polished off and the dishes are put away, I hope you&rsquo;ll remember these savvy shopping tidbits to help you walk away a winner as you usher in the holidays. Happy shopping and happy holidays! (See also: <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/black-friday-tips-from-money-saving-experts">Black&nbsp;Friday&nbsp;Tips From Money-Saving Experts</a>)</p>
<h3>Price Matching</h3>
<p>Andrew Schrage, founder of <a href="http://www.moneycrashers.com">Money Crashers</a>, advises to keep an eye on price-matching offers while making sure you&rsquo;ve read the find print:</p>
<blockquote><p>Price matching can be tricky. Retailers love to advertise price matching, but when you get down to the fine print, you may find a number of caveats. For example, many stores require you to provide a physical ad displaying the better price in order for the retailer to honor your request.</p>
<p>However, Walmart has led the way with consumer-friendly price matching. Last year, Walmart instituted a policy stating that if you purchased something from one of its locations during December and then found it elsewhere at a reduced price, you would be refunded (with some exclusions) as long as the better deal was offered before Christmas Day. It remains to be seen if it will offer a similar program this year.</p>
</blockquote>
<h3>Boost Your Buying Power</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.swagbucks.com">Swagbucks</a>, a top online rewards destination, has launched a new program called <a href="http://www.swagbucks.com/shop">Shop &amp; Earn</a>, which helps budget buyers stretch their money by offering exclusive discounts to more than 300 big-box retailers like Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Apple, Kohl's, and Macy's, among others.</p>
<p>As an incentive for participating in the program, users earn Swag Bucks (&quot;currency&quot; redeemable for gift cards and products from these stores), which help boost consumers' holiday buying power. In addition, for peak shopping periods around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Swagbucks will double and triple its Shop &amp; Earn rewards on Friday, Nov. 23, and Monday, Nov. 26.</p>
<h3>Shop In-Store, Buy Online</h3>
<p>Leslie Linevsky, co-founder of <a href="http://www.catalogs.com">Catalogs.com</a>, thinks taking part in the Black Friday is a good idea, but you can save time by avoiding the long lines and making the actual purchases online:</p>
<blockquote><p>Avoid back-breaking heavy bags, skip the check out lines, and pay for everything all at once. How? Enjoy your shopping experience: go to the store, try on, touch and make your selections &mdash; putting everything in your online shopping cart at the store's website. Check out while you relax at the food court and have all your purchases delivered right to your door.</p>
</blockquote>
<h3>Use Black Friday Sites to Streamline the Process</h3>
<p>Black Friday veteran Jon Vincent is the co-creator of BlackFriday.info and Black-Friday.net, both of which recently merged with <a href="http://www.blackfriday.com">BlackFriday.com</a>. Vincent says that Black Friday-dedicated sites make it easier for shopper to plan their attack by providing email alerts, all the ads in one place, and the ease of comparing prices between stores. Another weapon in Black Friday sites&rsquo; arsenal is social media. &ldquo;Social media is another way to keep on top of breaking ads,&rdquo; Vincent says. &ldquo;Follow or &lsquo;like&rsquo; Black Friday sites or the stores you want to shop to get updates on ad breaks.&rdquo;</p>
<h3>Just Say No to Credit Card Offers on Black Friday</h3>
<p>Jeanette Pavini is the resident household-savings expert at <a href="http://www.coupons.com">Coupons.com</a>, and she warns that while it may be tempting to <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/25-tips-for-smart-and-safe-credit-card-use-during-the-holidays">sign up for a store credit card on Black Friday</a> to score even more savings, it&rsquo;s a trap you should steer clear of unless you plan to pay off the balance immediately.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Every time you have your credit checked you may be lowering your credit score which can have long-term ramifications, like paying a higher interest rate on a car<br />
purchase or a home refinance,&rdquo; Pavini says. &ldquo;Only open a card in store if you can pay the entire balance off when you get the bill &mdash; paying interest is not saving<br />
money.&rdquo;</p>
<h3>Stock Up on Discounted Gift Cards to Pay for Purchases</h3>
<p>This tip from Andrea Woroch, who provides consumer advice to top news outlets like &ldquo;Good Morning America,&rdquo; CNN, and the New York Times, is often overlooked; but it can help you keep more money in your pocket when you&rsquo;re at the cash wrap.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The best way to enhance your savings is by using discounted gift cards to purchase items on Black Friday&rdquo; says Woroch. &ldquo;Sites like <a href="http://www.giftcardgranny.com">GiftCardGranny.com</a> offer gift cards at less than face value to popular retailers like Kohl&rsquo;s, Target, Macy's, Best Buy, and more with an average savings of 12% off.&rdquo;</p>
<h3>Black Friday Can Help You Save on Things For You, Too</h3>
<p>While you&rsquo;re out buying for people on your list, also keep an eye on items you may need for yourself and your home, says Cherie W. Lowe, aka <a href="http://www.queenoffree.net/">The Queen of Free</a>: &ldquo;Not all Black Friday sales are about gifts. Kitchen appliances, bath towels, coats, and countless other items drop to their lowest prices of the year the day after Thanksgiving. Keep in mind that you might not see these items so cheap until next year.&rdquo;</p>
<h3>Beware of Doorbusters</h3>
<p>Brad Wilson of <a href="http://blackfriday2012.com">BlackFriday2012.com</a> maintains that while doorbusters can be a boon to savvy shoppers, they can also be a source of a major headache during the morning rush.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Be wary of Black Friday doorbusters with quantity limits,&rdquo; Wilson says. &ldquo;If a store only has 10 items at that price, go elsewhere. Remember that you only need to hit the stores early if the object of your desire is a doorbuster. If you aren't after a $5 coffee maker or a $200 flat screen, you can probably skip the morning rush and hit the stores in the afternoon once things have calmed down.&rdquo;</p>
<h3>Stack Your Savings</h3>
<p>Couponing expert and founder of cash-back rewards site <a href="http://www.befrugal.com">BeFrugal.com</a> Jon Lal reminds us that sometimes, you can use deals on top of deals. &ldquo;When you shop online on Black Friday, you can often get free shipping offers... [and] use an online coupon code, plus earn free cash back.&rdquo;</p>
<h3>Shop Differently on Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday</h3>
<p>&ldquo;From our 13 years of Black Friday experience, tech gadgets and other &lsquo;hard goods&rsquo; will be at their lowest prices on Black Friday. Cyber Monday is the day to get the best deals on 'soft goods&rsquo; like clothing, makeup, home décor, and more,&rdquo; says Julie Vlahon from <a href="http://www.techbargains.com">TechBargains.com</a>.</p>
<h3>Make the Most of Mobile Apps</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/5-free-handy-coupon-apps-don-t-leave-home-without-one">Shopping apps</a> have become a huge part of Black Friday over the past few years. Here are a few to look into before heading out to shop till you drop:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.extra2.com/">Extra! Extra!</a> is a new app that curates deals from thousands of sites and retailers in one place. It&rsquo;s perfect for shoppers looking for quick and easy coupons while they&rsquo;re out holiday shopping. Forgot to clip coupons from the paper? No problem! If you have Extra! Extra! on your phone, you can redeem deals like 20% off at Famous Footwear, $10 off a purchase of $30 or more at Bath and Body Works, or a free chicken sandwich at Sonic. These deals are instantly redeemable via mobile devices and require no extra effort from shoppers. The average user saves about $100 a month. Best of all, it&rsquo;s absolutely free to download on iOS and Android.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.listbliss.com/">List Bliss</a> is the best way to organize your holiday shopping this season. Let&rsquo;s say mom and dad are tag-teaming a shopping list for their kids. List Bliss syncs their shopping lists in real-time, so you always know what your significant other has already purchased. Split up at the mall and shop in half the time, while staying up to date on what&rsquo;s in your partner&rsquo;s basket. It also helps families stay on budget &mdash; you would never shop online without knowing the cost of your &quot;shopping cart,&quot; so why do so in real life? List Bliss is free for iOS and Android.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.checkpoints.com/">CheckPoints</a> is the premier shopping rewards platform that &ldquo;gamifies&rdquo; the shopping experience and awards consumers just for checking out products in over 2 million U.S. stores. No other shopping rewards app is available in as many retail locations. CheckPoints users have earned nearly $2 million in rewards thus far, and there&rsquo;s plenty more to go around!</p>
<p>While apps are an excellent additional savings resource on Black Friday, PayPal shopping specialist Claudia Lombana advises that you still need to practice common sense:</p>
<blockquote><p>Stay safe when using a mobile device to shop this season,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;Use a PIN/password that is set to time out so the phone locks automatically. Don&rsquo;t click on links sent via SMS (text) that ask you to verify personal information; call or log on to those accounts directly instead. If you download apps, do so from reputable sources only. Respond to all upgrade notifications on your mobile device promptly (whether for an operating system or an app). And check your account transactions regularly so you can address problems right away.</p>
</blockquote>
<h3>Look Into Debit Rewards Programs</h3>
<p>Make money while you save money &mdash; that's the advice of Jessica Howell, a rep with Ally Bank:</p>
<blockquote><p>When it comes to saving money during the holidays, an area of savings often overlooked are debit rewards programs. Ally Bank&rsquo;s program, <a href="http://www.ally.com/bank/interest-checking-account/perks/index.html">Perks,</a> automatically gives our (free) Interest Checking Account customers money back when they make qualifying purchases at participating retailers (think: Crate &amp; Barrel, Best Buy, Target and Whole Foods) &mdash; nothing to sign up for, and no cost. Our national offers are published weekly on our <a href="http://community.ally.com/straight-talk/category/ally-perks/">Straight Talk Blog.</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>This is just an example of what one bank is doing to help soften the holiday-shopping blow to its customers, but there are plenty more. Check with your banking institution to see if it offers a similar program.</p>
<h3>Understand the Return Policy Before You Buy</h3>
<p>It&rsquo;s easy to get blinded by deep discounts, but Steven Zussino at <a href="http://www.groceryalerts.ca">GroceryAlerts.ca</a> warns you to be informed about return policies so you don&rsquo;t get stuck with something you don&rsquo;t want.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Make sure you are not stuck with any purchases that do not meet your expectations by reading the return policies in advance. Some retailers allow you to return online orders to a local store at no extra cost, while others may charge you for return shipping as well as a restocking fee.&quot;</p>
<h3>Be Mindful of Identity Theft When Shopping Online</h3>
<p>One of the best ways for your holiday season to be ruined is to <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/identity-theft">have your identity stolen</a>. That&rsquo;s why you MUST heed this advice from Jodi Burack of <a href="http://www.lifelock.com/">LifeLock Consumer Education</a>:</p>
<p>&ldquo;&rsquo;S&rsquo; is for Santa <i>and</i> security. When it comes time to insert your personal identifying information (name, address, phone, credit card number, etc.) when shopping online during the holidays, be sure that the URL on the site begins with https://. The &lsquo;s&rsquo; lets you know that your information is encrypted during the transmission.&rdquo;</p>
<h3>Be Vigilant With Daily Deals</h3>
<p>Tricia Meyer from <a href="http://www.helpingmomsconnect.com/">Helping Moms Connect</a> offers this helpful tidbit for daily-deal lovers: &quot;Be wary of &lsquo;daily deal&rsquo; sites and check that the prices are actually better than usual. For example, one daily deal site today is advertising a &lsquo;special&rsquo; on a product for $9, but perhaps you can buy that same product any day for $5. Just because a site says it's a special for that day only, does not mean that it is. You still need to compare.&rdquo;</p>
<p><em>These are all excellent tips from Black Friday and shopping experts, but there are plenty more tips and tricks to keep in mind. If you have a good one to share with Wise Bread readers, let me know in the comments below.</em></p>
<br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/mikey-rox">Mikey Rox</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/even-more-black-friday-savings-tips-from-shopping-experts">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-11">
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</div> </div><br/></br>Shoppingblack fridayexpert adviceholiday shoppingThanksgivingThu, 15 Nov 2012 10:36:44 +0000Mikey Rox955796 at http://www.wisebread.comMake-Ahead Thanksgiving Disheshttp://www.wisebread.com/make-ahead-thanksgiving-dishes
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<p>Thanksgiving can be stressful enough &mdash; lots of relatives in town, too much food to cook (in one tiny oven), and of course, timing it all to be ready at just the right moment. Thankfully, one of the best ways to decrease stress on Thanksgiving day is to make dishes ahead of time. (See also: <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/five-last-minute-thanksgiving-fixes" title="Five Last-Minute Thanksgiving Fixes">Five Last-Minute Thanksgiving Fixes</a>)</p>
<p>Rather than rely on my relatively few years of experience preparing Thanksgiving, I called the ultimate expert in make-ahead Thanksgiving dish advice &mdash; my mom. My mom has always managed to pull together an amazing Thanksgiving feast where the only thing not homemade is the cranberries (my brother prefers the jelly cranberries in a can) despite working full-time and juggling two hectic kids' schedules.</p>
<p>So, what are Mom's tips for dishes to make ahead? She offered her top three dishes in terms of time savings and what was least likely to affect the taste of the dish, along with several other make-ahead dishes and information that is just as important &mdash; what <em>not</em> to make ahead.</p>
<h2>Top Three Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Dishes</h2>
<p>These three dishes require a fair amount of work, and the taste isn't overly affected if you make them ahead of time.</p>
<p><strong>Apple Pie</strong></p>
<p>Apple pie can be made a week or two ahead of time and frozen. When you bake it the first time, don't bake the pie all the way through. When you reheat it in the oven, the pie will finish cooking. Also, put some bread crumbs in the bottom of the pan under the crust &mdash; this way, when you cook the pie again after it has thawed, the breadcrumbs will absorb the extra liquid.</p>
<p><strong>Stuffing</strong></p>
<p>Stuffing requires a lot of peeling and chopping. But dressing (as in a dressing casserole, not a kind you make in the turkey) can be made the day before and reheated on Thanksgiving day.</p>
<p><strong>Mashed Potatoes</strong></p>
<p>Mashed potatoes can be made the day before and microwaved on Thanksgiving day. They are <em>almost</em> as good. (Mom's words, not mine. In fact, she always makes hers the day of, but if you need extra time due to the amount of work required to peel potatoes, they can be made ahead of time.)</p>
<h2>Other Make-Ahead Dishes</h2>
<p>While the following dishes might not be quite as good made ahead as the above three, they're still great. Do these next if you need to save more time.</p>
<p><strong>Cranberries</strong></p>
<p>Homemade cranberries should be made one to two days before and refrigerated, so that they are cold in time for the Thanksgiving feast.</p>
<p><strong>Turkey Breast</strong></p>
<p>If your family eats a lot of turkey breast, bake a breast separately (in addition to the full turkey). You can bake it the day before and store in the fridge in some turkey juice. It will absorb the juice and not dry out when you reheat it.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Rolls</strong></p>
<p>Dinner rolls can be made one to two weeks ahead and wrapped tightly in tin foil and frozen. When you reheat them in the oven, be sure to keep them in the tin foil, as this will trap the steam and prevent the rolls from drying out.</p>
<p><strong>Sweet Potatoes</strong></p>
<p>Sweet potatoes can be made one day ahead of time and reheated in the microwave. Just wait to add any marshmallow topping until the dish is almost hot. Otherwise you will end up with exploded and sticky marshmallows coating the inside of your microwave.</p>
<h2>Don't Try These Ahead of Time</h2>
<p>There are a few dishes to always make on Thanksgiving day.</p>
<p><strong>Turkey</strong></p>
<p>There's just no way around it &mdash; you need to get up early and put your turkey in the oven on Thanksgiving morning. Besides the wonderful smell and better tasting meat, a <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/10-tasty-ideas-for-leftover-turkey">turkey made on the day of Thanksgiving</a> reduces the risk of food poisoning.</p>
<p><strong>Pumpkin Pie</strong></p>
<p>Pumpkin pie doesn't freeze well because it's a custard. The only exception would be if you own a commercial freezer that will flash-freeze the pie. But like with the turkey, the smell of freshly baking pumpkin pie is a staple of Thanksgiving.</p>
<p><strong>Veggies</strong></p>
<p>Every family has their own unique Thanksgiving vegetable. Whether it's salad or green bean casserole, it is best made on Thanksgiving day.</p>
<p><strong>Whipped Cream</strong></p>
<p>You can whip your cream most of the way on Thanksgiving morning and then finish whipping it right before serving. But you don't want to make whipped cream too far in advance, or it will turn&nbsp;back to liquid.</p>
<h2>If You Do Nothing Else, Do This</h2>
<p>Even if you can't or won't make dishes ahead of time, do these three things to save money and stress on the big day itself.</p>
<p><strong>Take Stock</strong></p>
<p>Two weeks before Thanksgiving, take stock of your cupboards and dishware. Determine exactly what dishes you'll need, so that if you need to borrow from a friend or family member, you can give them advance notice. Also determine which recipes you are going to use, and make lists of the ingredients you'll need. Chances are as the time gets closer to actually go shopping, you'll remember items you might have otherwise forgotten.</p>
<p><strong>Set the Table</strong></p>
<p>You can set your Thanksgiving table up to a week in advance. To easily get the wrinkles out of your tablecloth, spray a very fine mist of water on the table cloth. By Thanksgiving morning the wrinkles will fall out. (Don't spray too heavily, or you will mold the table or turn it white.) You can also put out all the silverware and dishes you'll need a week ahead of time.</p>
<p><strong>Make Your Centerpiece</strong></p>
<p>Either order your centerpiece in advance, or make a cheap centerpiece a few days to a week before Thanksgiving. A clear glass bowl of different colored apples is a favorite cheap, easy, and festive centerpiece.</p>
<p>With these tips, you'll be on your way to a stress free Thanksgiving. For great make-ahead recipes for anytime of year, also check out <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/5-awesome-easy-to-freeze-meals" title="5 Awesome, Easy to Freeze Meals">5 Awesome, Easy to Freeze Meals</a> and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/9-make-ahead-freezable-hot-breakfast-recipes" title="9 Make-Ahead, Freezable Breakfasts">9 Make-Ahead, Freezable Breakfasts</a>.</p>
<p><em>Is there anything I've forgotten? What tips do you have to save stress on Thanksgiving day?</em></p>
<br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/elizabeth-lang">Elizabeth Lang</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/make-ahead-thanksgiving-dishes">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-12">
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</div> </div><br/></br>Food and Drinkholiday dinnersmake ahead foodmeal planningThanksgivingTue, 13 Nov 2012 10:36:51 +0000Elizabeth Lang955474 at http://www.wisebread.comGet Ready for Christmas: 7 Things You Should Do Todayhttp://www.wisebread.com/get-ready-for-christmas-7-things-you-should-do-today
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<p>Take your current schedule and imagine adding Christmas shopping, Christmas parties, and holiday travel all at once. I suspect you'll thank yourself come mid-December if you use the extra time you have now to get ready for Christmas. (See also:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wisebread.com/early-holiday-shopping-why-i-finish-by-thanksgiving">Early Holiday Shopping:&nbsp;Why&nbsp;I Finish by Thanksgiving</a>)</p>
<h3>1. Set and Fund Your Christmas Budget</h3>
<p>Every year there is a segment of the population that simply charges their gifts on their credit cards and then spends the rest of the next year trying to get caught up on their payments. Before you do any Christmas shopping, you need to determine <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/5-rules-for-planning-your-most-affordable-christmas-ever">how much you can afford</a>. From there, decide who to include and exclude from your list. To make it easy, try setting a per-person budget. For example, you'll buy $75 worth of gifts for each kid and $35 for each niece or nephew. You're much less likely to overspend if you've predetermined how much you'll spend on each person on your list. Don't forget to check it twice.</p>
<h3>2. Start Making Homemade Gifts</h3>
<p>Homemade and personalized Christmas gifts are the most memorable gifts you can give. Why? Because the recipient knows that you've invested a significant amount of your time. I often think about doing homemade gifts, but realize I don't have the time to complete a project. By brainstorming homemade ideas now, you're more likely to have the time necessary to complete the project.</p>
<h3>3. If You Do Christmas Lists, Ask People to Get You Their Lists</h3>
<p>My family does lists, and my wife's family does not. If you do ask people for <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/giving-back-to-those-not-necessarily-on-your-christmas-list">Christmas lists</a>, go ahead and contact them now. Inevitably, there is going to be one person who takes their time getting a list to you. That's less likely to be frustrating if you have an early start.</p>
<h3>4. Start Watching for Sale Items</h3>
<p>If you don't subscribe to the Sunday paper, you might want to pick one up over the next few months. Set aside 10 minutes every Sunday to glance through the ads and coupons. If you find an item on your list, snag it while it's on sale. Otherwise, what's probably going to happen is that you'll run to the store on the 24th and pay too much on a gift you don't want to buy.</p>
<p>Our personal goal is to have all our Christmas shopping done by the last day of November. That way we don't have to fight against the holiday crowds.</p>
<h3>5. Get Started on Your Christmas Cards</h3>
<p>Imagine how amazing it would feel if all your Christmas cards were ready to send by Thanksgiving &mdash; wouldn't that be a relief? Go ahead and set a target goal of when you'd like to finish all your cards. Then create some type of plan to be done by that date. You could either mark off a morning on your calendar or do a little bit at a time.</p>
<h3>6. Fill Up the Freezer</h3>
<p>There are a lot of great meals that you can freeze ahead of time so you have food available when the holiday season gets really busy. One way to fill the freezer is to double or triple some of your recipes you'll be preparing in the next month. Serve a single portion, and freeze the extra portion. Another option is to block out a full cooking day where you make as many meals as possible and freeze them for the busy holiday season.</p>
<h3>7. Practice Saying 'No,' and Offer an Alternative When Necessary</h3>
<p>Most people I know spend their Christmas season busy doing things they didn't want to do in the first place. Start today by <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/12-straightforward-ways-to-say-no">saying no to commitments</a> you know will cause you stress over the holidays.</p>
<p>If saying no is hard, then offer an alternative. I won't be able to ____, but it would work if I could ____ instead.</p>
<p>With an early start, you can survive the hectic holiday rush. I'm sure that in December you won't regret any of the time you've spent while the pace of life is comparatively slower.</p>
<br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/craig-ford">Craig Ford</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/get-ready-for-christmas-7-things-you-should-do-today">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-13">
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</div> </div><br/></br>General TipsLifestyleShoppingChristmasholiday giftsholiday sanityThanksgivingTue, 30 Oct 2012 10:24:34 +0000Craig Ford955133 at http://www.wisebread.comBest Money Tips: Ways to Make Thanksgiving Funhttp://www.wisebread.com/best-money-tips-ways-to-make-thanksgiving-fun
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<p>Welcome to Wise Bread's <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/topic/best-money-tips">Best Money Tips</a> Roundup! Today we found some awesome articles on ways to make Thanksgiving fun, investments that protect you from inflation, and resume writing tips.</p>
<h2>Top 5 Articles</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.dumblittleman.com/2009/11/10-ways-to-make-thanksgiving-super-fun.html?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DumbLittleMan+%28Dumb+Little+Man+-+tips+for+life%29">10 Ways to Make Thanksgiving Super Fun</a> &mdash; Make Thanksgiving fun by spicing up the sides. [Dumb Little Man]</p>
<p><a href="http://www.moolanomy.com/5588/3-investments-that-protect-you-from-inflation-kmulligan/">3 Investments That Protect You From Inflation</a> &mdash; Want to protect your money from inflation? Consider investing in real estate. [Moolanomy]</p>
<p><a href="http://genxfinance.com/resume-writing-tips-to-stand-out-from-the-crowd/">Resume Writing Tips to Help You Stand Out From the Crowd</a> &mdash; To make your resume stand out from the crowd, make sure you focus on your work experience. [Generation X Finance]</p>
<p><a href="http://www.creditsesame.com/blog/how-to-save-money-on-energy-bills-the-obama-way/">6 Simple Steps to Saving Money on Energy Bills &mdash; the Obama Way</a> &mdash; Save money on your energy bills by testing your doors and windows. [Credit Sesame]</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-tips/how-to-find-a-cheap-flight/">How to Find a Cheap Flight</a> &mdash; Save money on airfare by flying to secondary airports using budget carriers. [Nomadic Matt]</p>
<h2>Other Essential Reading</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.freemoneywisdom.com/money-tips-from-49-personal-finance-bloggers/">Money Tips from 49 Personal Finance Bloggers</a> &mdash; A common money tip among personal finance bloggers: spend less than you earn. [Free Money Wisdom]</p>
<p><a href="http://parentingsquad.com/easy-side-dishes-for-your-thanksgiving-table">Easy Side Dishes for Your Thanksgiving Table</a> &mdash; Consider making fried apples as a side dish this Thanksgiving. [Parenting Squad]</p>
<p><a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/How-Golf-Helps-Your-Career-20445149">5 Reasons Playing Golf Is Good For Your Career</a> &mdash; Playing golf is good for your career because it enhances analytical thinking. [SavvySugar]</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/2011/credit-cards-holiday-shopping-cyber-monday/">Best Credit Cards for Holiday Shopping: Cyber Monday and Beyond!</a> &mdash; If you are looking for great cashback rewards this holiday shopping season, consider getting a Citi Dividend or Chase Freedom card. [Nerdwallet]</p>
<p><a href="http://www.theopenappcenter.com/save-money/10-business-owners-share-tips-saving-money/?intlink=us-iefuel-hpcontentarticletipssavemoney">10 Business Owners Share Tips for Saving Money</a> &mdash; One good way to save money on business expenses is to scale back office space or eliminate it completely. [American Express OPEN Forum]</p>
<h2>News &amp; Events</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/top-100-most-popular-personal-finance-blogs/news/2011/10/the-wealth-builder-carnival-0">The Wealth Builder Carnival</a> &mdash; Don't miss The Wealth Builder Carnival, featuring some of the best posts about building wealth!</p>
<p>Be sure to check out our <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/top-100-most-popular-personal-finance-blogs/news">News &amp; Events Calendar</a> to see all the awesome upcoming events in the personal finance world!</p>
<br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/ashley-jacobs">Ashley Jacobs</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/best-money-tips-ways-to-make-thanksgiving-fun">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-14">
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</div> </div><br/></br>Lifestylebest money tipsThanksgivingTue, 22 Nov 2011 10:48:34 +0000Ashley Jacobs795747 at http://www.wisebread.comAll About Black Fridayhttp://www.wisebread.com/all-about-black-friday
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<p>Whether you're a dedicated deal-hunting warrior or you try to avoid the crowds entirely, around this time of year, it's hard to not hear about the shopping frenzy known as Black Friday. From some history on the event to how to handle it and more, read on! (See also: <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/3-ways-to-beat-holiday-shopping-stress">3 Ways to Beat Holiday Shopping Stress</a>)</p>
<h3>When Is Black Friday?</h3>
<p>The &ldquo;busiest shopping day of the year&rdquo; traditionally takes place on the day after Thanksgiving, although longer shopping days and earlier store hours have now taken the one day holiday into the &ldquo;Thanksgiving zone.&rdquo; Some stores are now set to open as early as 11:59 p.m. on turkey day itself, and Black Friday-like sales can be found happening online beginning November 1<sup>st</sup>. A few select stores have also dabbled in replacing the annoying &ldquo;Christmas in July&rdquo; marketing strategies with their own misplaced &ldquo;Black Friday&rdquo; promotions, which have appeared throughout the calendar year.&nbsp;The purists, however, still claim that there is one day (the Friday right after Thanksgiving), and anything else is just a marketing ploy.</p>
<h3>Why It's Called &ldquo;Black&rdquo; Friday</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/07/black-friday.asp#axzz1drv5tKjJ">Investopedia</a> (and most everyone else) credits the dark name to the fact that stores are likely to turn profitable for the first time on this shopping holiday, and that their business ledgers would actually see their numbers go from &ldquo;red&rdquo; (indicating a fiscal loss) to &ldquo;black.&rdquo; Others (specifically, anti-commercialism groups) have more recently taken some of the most newsworthy incidents that have occurred on the holiday (store tramplings or robberies, for example) and have assigned new meaning to the &ldquo;black&rdquo; portion of the term.</p>
<h3>Deals Offered on Black Friday</h3>
<p>In addition to &ldquo;door buster deals,&rdquo; which claim to offer shoppers up to 60% off popular items like TVs, toys, and clothing, there are special promotional perks, such as in-store refreshments and giveaways. Many who participate, however, just like the rush of the deal, waiting in line, and communing with other deal-seekers.</p>
<p>Wise Bread has covered the topic of Black Friday and its deals extensively over the years, including articles such as <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/black-friday-tips-from-money-saving-experts">Black Friday Tips From Money-Saving Experts</a>, <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/5-things-you-shouldnt-buy-this-black-friday">5 Things You&nbsp;Shouldn't Buy This Black Friday</a>, and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/6-ways-to-spend-black-friday-at-home">6 Ways to Spend Black Friday at Home</a>.</p>
<h3>Black Friday Facts</h3>
<p>In addition to the essentials of how and why, I thought it would be fun to share a few random facts about the shopping holiday.</p>
<ul>
<li>Cyber Money is the online version of Black Friday, offering shoppers exclusive deals at their favorite dotcoms; many of the best prices, however, are still available only on Black Friday, and most stores have moved to sharing the best deals online on the day after Thanksgiving.<br />
&nbsp;</li>
<li>In all of Black Friday history, 2008 was the only year to see a <a href="http://www.retail-digital.com/industry-focus/retail/5-things-you-didn-t-know-about-black-friday">drop in electronics sales</a>.<br />
&nbsp;</li>
<li>In recent years, Canada has held its <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2009/11/27/consumer-black-friday.html">own version of Black Friday</a> to discourage border-hopping on the big day. As their deals haven&rsquo;t been as aggressive as many U.S. retailers, however, many Canadian consumers have continued their &ldquo;field trips&rdquo; across the border to buy up good deals on consumer goods.<br />
&nbsp;</li>
<li>In an effort to control the messaging of their deals (and to pre-empt the &ldquo;leak&rdquo; sites that have been sharing deals before their official release), many major retailers, including Walmart, have taken to officially &ldquo;leaking&rdquo; their own sales. For example, this year customers were asked to sign up for a special email list to be among the first to view an official Black Friday ad &mdash; weeks before the ads were distributed in newspapers and online.<br />
&nbsp;</li>
<li>The emphasis on buying has caused some groups to rebel; AdBusters will again this year celebrate their own &ldquo;<a href="http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd">Buy Nothing Day</a>&rdquo; to coincide with the hype of commercialism that Black Friday often brings about.<br />
&nbsp;</li>
<li>Mobile payment technology has created growth in the Black Friday market; just last year, PayPal <a href="http://www.gadgetvenue.com/paypal-black-friday-statistics-reveal-transactions-27-11290007/">reported an increase of 27%</a> over 2009&rsquo;s transactions (thanks, in part to the 310% increase in mobile shopping).</li>
</ul>
<p>If you are not already tired of hearing about this year&rsquo;s &ldquo;Black Friday&rdquo; event, chances are good that you will be.&nbsp;The hyped-up holiday, however, is an important part of many stores&rsquo; annual budget, and cash-strapped shoppers will always be looking to take advantage of the deals.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>Will you venture out this year?</em></p>
<br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/linsey-knerl">Linsey Knerl</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/all-about-black-friday">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-15">
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</div> </div><br/></br>Shoppingblack fridayholiday shoppingThanksgivingFri, 18 Nov 2011 11:36:25 +0000Linsey Knerl789466 at http://www.wisebread.com